Illegal immigrants banned from top Georgia schools

Georgia’s board of regents on Wednesday adopted a policy that will bar selective Georgia institutions — defined as those that must turn away qualified legal residents — from admitting illegal immigants, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.

In practice, the policy would have little impact — only 27 illegal immigrants are enrolled at the five institutuions that fall under the ban, the Chronicle reported. But it makes a strong statement in the ongoing national debate over immigration policy, much of it fueled by fears that illegal immigrants are taking jobs and seats at universities that should belong to Americans.

Much debate has centered on the controversial Arizona law allowing police officers to question the status of anyone they believe could be in the country illegally, and the DREAM Act, a proposed law that would provide a path to citizenship for college students and soldiers brought to the country illegally as children.

In May, four undocumented leaders of the student immigration movement were arrested after staging a sit-in at Arizona Sen. John McCain’s office in Tucson.

Lizbeth Mateo of Los Angeles, Tania Unzueta of Chicago, Mohammad Abdollahi of Ann Arbor and Yahaira Carrillo of Kansas City risk deportation for the action, which they hoped would catalyze a grass-roots mobilization to push Congress to pass the DREAM Act.